The provincial and federal governments are investing more than $40 million over three years in new programs to lower greenhouse gas emissions and support clean growth.

The announcement came Friday from Premier Dwight Ball, Advanced Education, Skills and Labour Minister Bernard Davis and and Nick Whalen, MP for St. John’s East, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Ball announced the following investments through the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund:

• Climate Change Challenge Program: $10.26 million from the province and $10 million from Ottawa to provide grants to businesses, municipalities, governments and organizations, non-profit organizations, industrial and resource sectors to undertake projects that result in measurable greenhouse gas reductions.

• Freight Transportation Fuel Efficiency Program: $1.73 million from the province and $1.47 million from Ottawa to provide rebates to carriers and owner operators to install fuel saving devices on heavy-duty trucks and trailers.

• Energy Efficiency and Fuel Switching in Public Buildings Program: launched in January this program will receive additional joint federal/provincial funding in the amount of $17.2 million.

“Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to addressing climate change,” Ball said. “Through these and other programs under the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund, we are supporting key economic sectors and community groups in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and successfully transitioning to a low carbon future.”

“We are taking real action on climate change,” Whalen said. “By pricing pollution, supporting energy efficiency in residences and government building, and now fuel efficiency in freight transportation, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can be proud that their governments are creating the tools needed so that everyone can play a role in reducing greenhouse gas pollution.”

The provincial government projects that by 2030, the programs developed under the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund to date are expected to deliver 882,000 tonnes of cumulative greenhouse gas emissions reductions and 239 direct person years of employment.